Chapter 55: General Lu, I admit defeat wholeheartedly…

Chapter 55: General Lu, I admit defeat wholeheartedly...

The Zhang family head rushed to Jincheng, while Lu Xusheng's vanguard had already clashed with the Zhang family's servants on the outskirts of Jincheng. The Zhang family's army, fighting and retreating, naturally retreated northward into Shen family territory.

Now the Shen family's defending general, who had been watching the drama, was left dumbfounded. Seeing the Zhang family retreating toward him, he was torn between fighting or holding back. If he fought, it would affect the alliance since they were supposed to be allies. If he didn't fight, the Shen family's defense line would be overwhelmed. His hesitation cost them dearly as the defense line was breached, and they lost a mountain pass.

As for the Zhang family's forces, they were wiped out by Lu Xusheng and the Shen family.

The Zhang family head thought he had successfully lured Lu Xusheng into the Shen family's territory. But then, to his surprise...

"What? Lu Xusheng is back again?"

The Zhang family head was baffled. What was this guy thinking? As the border army commander, he had been given a clear path and sent away, yet he had the audacity to return.

The Zhang family head had no choice but to dispatch another 3,000 men in a different direction, continuing to lure Lu Xusheng toward the Shen family.

This move infuriated the Shen family. Regardless of where the troops came from, they fought fiercely. Lu Xusheng's men used the Zhang family's forces as cannon fodder, pushing forward until both the Shen and Zhang families were worn out, and then his men moved in to clean up the mess.

What was even more galling was yet to come.

Lu Xusheng, after all, was the border army commander and had a well-organized military. Besides the vanguard and reserve forces, he also had a propaganda team composed of older miners. Each member carried posters proclaiming that those who surrendered to the imperial court would be spared and exempted from taxes for a year. This was music to the ears of the Shen and Zhang families' militiamen and servants, who, burdened by heavy taxes, immediately dropped their weapons and defected to the imperial court. Some servants, seeing the chaos and lack of discipline on their side, decided it was better to defect to Lu Xusheng than to kill each other.

Out of an original force of 10,000, two to three thousand defected on the spot.

How could they possibly keep fighting?

The Shen and Zhang families were left battered and humiliated.

What about the other local power factions watching nearby?

When news from the front reached them, they noticed a trend: anyone who crossed paths with Lu Xusheng's men was doomed.

At this point, the weaknesses of these private armies became glaringly obvious. Everyone was focused on protecting their own interests, afraid of losing their own resources, and hesitated to move forward.

They decided to let the strongest, the Shen and Zhang families, take the lead. Once they had exhausted each other, they would step in, eliminating the threat of Lu Xusheng without losing their own troops or wealth. A win-win situation, right?

The Shen family's commander was Shen Yi's nephew, who stood at a hidden spot on the mountain, frowning deeply as he watched the battlefield ahead.

"What on earth is going on?"

A steward beside him, however, saw things clearly.

"Young master, those Zhang family members are despicable! They're trying to dump their problems on us!"

The Shen family's young master was furious upon hearing this. "Damn it! They dare play tricks on me? Roll out the cannons!"

"Wait!" The steward stopped him again.

"Don't be hasty, young master. I noticed that Lu Xusheng is targeting the Zhang family!"

"Really?" The young master was surprised.

"Indeed! Once he finishes off the Zhang family, he turns back to continue attacking the Zhang family's army!"

"Well, this is interesting!" In the end, the Shen family and the Zhang family had irreconcilable conflicts as well. Watching the Zhang family suffer, the young master of the Shen family "strategically" chose to sit back and watch.

Thus, the Shen family used heavy artillery to dominate the battlefield, forcing both the Zhang family and Lu Xusheng's forces to keep their distance. Meanwhile, the other powerful local factions each harbored their own hidden agendas, none willing to take the lead, all just making a show of it. In the end, it was the Zhang family that suffered.

Lu Xusheng divided his troops, assigning some to monitor several powerful factions, while engaging two others, concentrating his forces to confront the Zhang family.

Facing the siege of eight powerful factions, why did Lu Xusheng not retreat?

Initially, the local gentry and miner leaders who followed the army advised Lu Xusheng to avoid the enemy's frontline. But Lu Xusheng not only did not avoid it, but also navigated adeptly between the various factions' territories.

There was a method to his madness.

Long before Lu Xusheng headed south, he had assessed the situation in Jiangnan from Cheng Mingyu's intelligence, realizing that these powerful factions were vying for power and profit, plotting against each other, and could never truly band together against him. Why retreat? The more he retreated, the more he would push them to unite. Instead, by confronting them head-on, he could force them to show their true intentions.

Sure enough, each of these family heads had their own ulterior motives, and Lu Xusheng capitalized on the opportunity. Using Cheng Mingyu's intelligence, he deliberately bypassed the Zhang family's rear, sneaked into Jincheng, and fostered the impression that the Shen family was betraying the Zhang family, forcing the Zhang and Shen families to turn on each other.

Next, Lu Xusheng decided to first take over the Zhang family.

The Zhang family's attempt to shift the blame had angered everyone, and no one dared to offer assistance.

If not now, then when would be the right time to destroy them?

But the Zhang family's army was well-equipped, and a direct confrontation would result in heavy losses for the miners.

Thus, Lu Xusheng ordered his troops to rest along the foothills during the day and march at night.

This was when the advantage of using miners and militia became apparent.

With the powerful factions in Jiangnan so arrogant, disregarding the laws of the court, why didn't Lu Xusheng call in troops to suppress them?

He had considered mobilizing troops from the court, but the consequences would be that the well-trained regular army was not suited for mountain guerrilla warfare, and they were unfamiliar with the complex terrain of Jiangnan. Moreover, it would require a massive supply of military provisions and equipment, leading to widespread suffering among the people and heavy losses.

Furthermore, once the court's army entered, the people, miners, and private soldiers hidden by the powerful factions would unite against the court, destroying Jiangnan and the foundation of the Great Jin Dynasty, resulting in nothing but utter defeat.

Turning the miners and recruiting militia was different.

By sustaining the war with war, these people would feed themselves, requiring no provisions from him, and even informing him of the hidden granaries of the powerful factions, thus supplying the miner soldiers.

Look, these miners were more familiar with the mines and mining sites than anyone else. Lu Xusheng only needed to assign tasks, and the veteran soldiers easily discovered the locations of the gunpowder stores and the defensive positions of the private soldiers, thoroughly understanding the Zhang family's army.

More importantly, they were hardy and enduring. No matter how harsh the weather, as long as Lu Xusheng ordered a march, not a single one of them frowned. That night, they braved the rain to launch a surprise attack on the Zhang family's fortress. The miners were well-trained, each wielding swords, spears, and arrows as they charged forward. Meanwhile, the militia recruited by imperial decree grabbed axes and knives from their homes, hacking away at the servants of the powerful factions who had once oppressed them.

In just two hours, the Zhang family's fortress fell. The family head of the Zhang family, along with his son, hid deep in the gold mine, only to be forced out by a fire and surrender.

At first, the Zhang family head refused to come out, still unable to understand where he had gone wrong.

"I have a full thirty thousand elite soldiers. How did Lu Xusheng manage to surround us with so many troops?"

The steward wailed, "Lu Xusheng sustains the war with war. Everywhere he goes, he has people announce the court's amnesty decree, saying that those who submit to the court will be exempt from taxes for the first year and from population taxes for the next three years, with the population tax being incorporated into the land tax. As a result, the people flocked to Lu Xusheng in droves. Originally three thousand strong, his forces grew to ten thousand, and upon entering Jincheng, they became thirty thousand. After seizing several hills and towns from the Shen family, they reached fifty thousand. At this rate, a single spark could start a prairie fire, and the entire Jiangnan region would soon fall into his hands."

At this point, the steward, valuing his life, advised the Zhang family head, "Family head, let's surrender. We might still save our lives. Otherwise, with Lu Xusheng's momentum, we won't survive..."

At that moment, the young master of the Zhang family saw Lu Xusheng ordering people to pour oil outside the camp, clearly preparing to set it on fire, and cried out,

"Father, they're going to burn us alive!"

There was no other choice.

The core members of the Zhang family shamefully emerged from the cave.

The miner-turned-soldiers immediately pounced on them, tied their hands and feet, and threw them before Lu Xusheng. The Zhang family head at first refused to kneel, but a soldier kicked him, forcing him to kowtow before Lu Xusheng.

This was the first time the Zhang family head had seen Lu Xusheng. He thought to himself, this famed border army commander was so young and handsome—could he truly be the one leading the troops?

The Zhang family head was still deeply skeptical, glancing at Lu Xusheng, he asked,

"General Lu, you’ve walked right into Shen Yi’s trap. With your wisdom, you shouldn’t be led by the nose by Shen Yi. He’s just using you to get rid of me."

Lu Xusheng, holding the imperial sword, paced back and forth before the Zhang family, speaking casually,

"I’m new here, and I’ve heard that the Shen family head is the leader of the powerful local factions in Jiangnan. It’s only fitting to send him a grand gift."

And he was that grand gift.

The Zhang family head nearly choked. It seemed that Lu Xusheng had long seen through their schemes, exploiting their mutual distrust to divide and conquer.

Though young, his strategic depth was remarkable.

The Zhang family head had no choice but to submit, "General Lu, I submit. Please give me a chance to serve you."

He had already knelt down, and Shen Yi couldn’t escape either. If they were going to hell, they’d go together.

"As long as the general is willing to spare me, I’ll serve as your strategist, and I guarantee to capture Shen Yi."

Before Lu Xusheng could react, the officers beside him were fuming. One of them spat at the Zhang family head,

"What nonsense are you spouting? Don’t you realize you’re a prisoner? With a mere gesture, the general can send you to meet Yama..."

"Do you still think you have any value to be used?"

The Zhang family head, accustomed to being high and mighty, was being insulted by the miners for the first time. He was livid, but their crude words rang true. He was already at Lu Xusheng’s mercy and had to admit defeat. Seeing the smile fade from Lu Xusheng’s eyes, he shuddered and lowered his stance,

"I am willing to serve the general, please spare me and my son."

Lu Xusheng didn’t even bother to look at him, instructing the guards beside him,

"Take him away for immediate interrogation. Find out the details of the other powerful local factions and the court officials they are in contact with, then kill him."

Shen Yi’s methods were good, having destroyed many of Cheng Mingyu’s spies. Now, with the delivery of Zhang Huntian, they could only pry information from his lips.

The Zhang family head, Zhang Huntian, his mouth twitched violently. In front of him, they talked about killing him and extracting information from his mouth?

What made Lu Xusheng so sure he’d submit?

Soon, Lu Xusheng gave him the answer.

A guard drew a sword and cut off five fingers of his son on the spot. His son screamed in pain and fainted.

Zhang Huntian was instantly silenced, no longer struggling pointlessly.

Word of Lu Xusheng’s pursuit of the Zhang family reached Hangzhou Prefecture a day later.

Shen Yi almost laughed his belly off,

"Lu Xusheng, oh Lu Xusheng, you are really something!"

"He clearly saw through Zhang Huntian’s scheme and gave him a hard lesson. I just wonder if Zhang Huntian can escape from Lu Xusheng’s grasp!"

So what if Lu Xusheng saw through Zhang Huntian?

Didn’t he just fall into his trap again, falling for his "borrow a knife to kill" scheme?

Shen Yi felt a surge of satisfaction.

"Look, Lu Xusheng is indeed a formidable weapon."

At this moment, a trusted steward beside him advised, "Even though he’s a formidable weapon, we can’t let him grow too powerful, or we’ll end up shooting ourselves in the foot."

Hearing this, Shen Yi put away his smile and immediately nodded, "You're right. Convey my orders to Wang Yunhe: I will divide the Zhang family’s territory with him. For now, we must unite to eliminate Lu Xusheng and secure the situation."

"Yes."

Shen Yi’s plan to eliminate Lu Xusheng continued. Meanwhile, Lu Xusheng, still moving unpredictably, kept encroaching on the territories of various families to bolster his forces.

Shen Yi had had enough. He deployed several cannons to the front lines and pressured local county offices to mobilize troops for reinforcements. Now everyone was in the same boat, and no one dared to defy Shen Yi’s commands.

Thinking his plan was foolproof, Shen Yi was shocked when news arrived from the front lines a few days later.

"My lord, Lu Xusheng is incredibly cunning. He split his forces into three prongs, slipping through the heavy defenses of the Shen, Xie, and Xiao families, and made a beeline for the heart of our tin mine!"

"What? The audacity!"

In all of Jiangnan, the Shen family alone had discovered this tin mine. With tin being rare and valuable, its price soared, bringing the Shen family both wealth and prestige. Shen Yi absolutely would not allow Lu Xusheng to touch the tin mine.

"Recall the troops at once to defend and encircle him!" As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Yi suddenly realized a significant hidden danger.

Once the troops of other powerful factions entered his territory, it would be easy to invite them in but nearly impossible to send them away, risking future complications.

"No, I’ll go to Yanzhou Prefecture myself and ensure he doesn’t cross north of the Shouchang River!"

Yanzhou Prefecture lies north of the Shouchang River, with Jincheng to the south. The north side of the Shouchang River is Shen family territory, and the south side is Zhang family territory. Now, the Wang family is maneuvering with Lu Xusheng in Zhang family territory, while the Shen and Xiao families' heavy troops are closing in step by step. The fall of the Zhang family was a wake-up call for the other factions, who resolved to eliminate Lu Xusheng first and then carve up the Zhang family’s riches.

Shen Yi’s arrival in Yanzhou Prefecture brought the Shen family’s elite forces with him.

Miners and militias, being irregular forces, were no match for Shen Yi’s elite troops.

Lu Xusheng then fled to the southwest.

Shen Yi dismissed Lu Xusheng as nothing extraordinary.

Though he underestimated Lu Xusheng, Shen Yi remained vigilant.

As Lu Xusheng vanished, Jiang Chengbin and Princess Minglan continued to exert pressure. Any further delay might lead to complications.

At least publicly, he remained a loyal subject of the Great Jin Dynasty and couldn’t openly defy the court, forcing him to tread carefully.

Lu Xusheng, after all, was skilled and led tens of thousands of troops—miners and hidden private households of the powerful factions. Frankly, killing them would pain Shen Yi—not out of compassion, but because he’d lose valuable labor.

Shen Yi, being clever, quickly came up with a plan.

He convened the heads of various families and several county magistrates to reorganize the troops.

He laid out a map of the mountains and rivers, pointing to where Lu Xusheng was located with a moon rod,

"Lu Xusheng is now in Longyou. I suspect he is heading to Quzhou Prefecture in the southwest. With tens of thousands of troops, how can he not need supplies? And Quzhou is a large city; with an imperial edict, the Quzhou garrison commander cannot openly stop him."

Quzhou lay within the Xiao family’s domain.

The family head of the Xiao family said, "Now that my son is in the city, I have instructed him to occupy the high ground on all sides, blocking Lu Xusheng's entry into the city."

"If he cannot get through Quzhou Prefecture, he might head northwest to Fengning or southwest to Bangu. My suggestion is to encircle him. If they have no way out, they will fight to the death, causing heavy losses on both sides. The ones dying won't be the imperial troops but our own people. Therefore, I propose that we leave a gap in the encirclement and lure him here..."

Shen Yi's pointer traced a path along Longyou toward Jiangshan Town in the southwest direction of Quzhou.

"Here!"

"This place is my wife's maternal family's ancestral home. I've been there a few times. The terrain forms a bottleneck, surrounded by mountains on three sides, making it an ideal spot for a base. If Lu Xusheng's vanguard scouts it, they will surely try to occupy it and plan a counterattack. We should station our main forces nearby and wait for Lu Xusheng to be driven here. Then we can launch a heavy artillery attack, leaving him no ground to bury his fallen."

"A brilliant plan!"

"He thinks he's escaping, but little does he know we're luring him into a trap!"

"Master Shen, you're a true mastermind!"

Shen Yi is also a highly influential figure among the powerful local factions in Jiangnan. Although not as famous as Cheng Mingyu, he is extremely adept at maneuvering and strategizing, no less skilled than Cheng Mingyu. However, while Cheng Mingyu schemes for the nation, Shen Yi schemes for his own territory.

This time, the heads of the various families were very united and carried out Shen Yi's plan without delay.

Lu Xusheng, based in Longyou County, soon felt the pressure closing in.

As his forces grew larger, so did the number of decision-makers, such as local gentry and garrison officers. Unlike the soldiers from Silver Mountain, who obeyed Lu Xusheng without question, these individuals often voiced their own views or even objections whenever Lu Xusheng proposed a battle plan.

Disagreements arose about where to march next.

"The deep mountains in the southeast are ultimately controlled by the eight powerful local factions in Jiangnan. I suggest we head west into Jiangxi, while requesting imperial troops to support us. Once we establish a foothold in Guangxin, Jiangxi, we can coordinate with Jiang Chengbin's naval forces to attack from both sides, forcing the powerful local factions in Jiangnan to submit."

"Exactly, this is the best strategy!"

This suggestion came from a minor powerful local faction in Jincheng, also known as a local gentry, who had previously been affiliated with the Zhang family. After Lu Xusheng entered the city, he wisely chose to surrender, hoping to aid Lu Xusheng in pacifying Jiangnan and later seek an official position from the imperial court.

A deputy general from Silver Mountain standing beside Lu Xusheng pointed at the sand table and said, "If we head to Guangxin, Jiangxi, we must pass through Quzhou Prefecture. However, Quzhou is heavily guarded, and we'd face heavy losses if we go there."

At this point, the local gentry grinned slyly and pointed to the small town of Jiangshan.

"General, you may not know this, but I am very familiar with this area. Quzhou is the territory of the Xiao family, and it is indeed heavily guarded. Suichang is the territory of the Yu family, and they will certainly defend it fiercely. Therefore, Jiangshan, sandwiched between these two families, becomes a neutral zone."

"Believe me, the Yu and Xiao families are neighbors but don't get along. Neither is willing to lend a hand to the other, so Jiangshan's defenses are bound to be weak. With blockades ahead and encirclement behind, this is the only breakthrough point. General Lu, though you're far-sighted and strategic, in the small hills of Jiangnan, you can trust me."

Everyone strongly agreed with Mr. Zhou's suggestion.

Lu Xusheng pinched his chin and stared at the sand table, deep in thought. "That makes sense."

"However, with so many of us, moving as one would draw too much attention. Let's split our forces. Mr. Zhou, you lead your troops to Jiangshan first, scout the area, and secure a strategic position while waiting for reinforcements."

"Good!" Mr. Zhou was full of confidence.

"General Li, along with ten deputy generals from Silver Mountain, will lead thirty thousand troops to march toward Quzhou Prefecture. You don't need to launch a full-scale attack; after some skirmishes, head northwest to Kaihua. There, recruit militias to bolster our numbers and wait for reinforcements from Guangxin, Jiangxi. When the time comes, we can attack Quzhou from both sides, and Quzhou Prefecture will surely fall."

"As for the rest, leave three thousand men with me to cover the rear. The others will feint an attack on Bangu but actually head to Yanbo, then rendezvous in Guangxin."

This plan was flawless.

Everyone was impressed. "But General, you personally covering the rear makes us uneasy."

Lu Xusheng smiled. "Deception is everything. The riskiest spot is often the safest. Don't worry. Only if I cover the rear will they think our main forces are still in Longyou and not dare to pursue, giving you the opportunity to rendezvous in Guangxin."

"Truly deserving of his title as the ever-victorious general of our Great Jin Dynasty. Fighting alongside the general is more valuable than ten years of studying military strategy."

The local gentry and garrison commanders couldn't resist showering Lu Xusheng with praise, to which he responded with a smile but no words.

Lu Xusheng's deployment was reported verbatim to Shen Yi, the family head.

Sitting in Yanzhou Prefecture's Shen family villa, Shen Yi looked over Lu Xusheng's battle plan and nearly laughed out loud.

"Lu Xusheng doesn't know, does he? Gathering militias has its pros and cons. The downside is that it's easy to infiltrate spies. See, our agents posed as defectors and infiltrated, so Lu Xusheng's every move is under my watch."

"Trying to outmaneuver me, are we?"

Shen Yi let out a sinister laugh, then immediately composed himself and instructed the steward,

"Go and invite all the family heads to the meeting."

That night, the family heads gathered at the Shen family's villa in Yanzhou Prefecture. Shen Yi revised the strategy based on Lu Xusheng's plan.

"Gentlemen, we cannot allow Lu Xusheng to reach Jiangxi. Once he arrives in Guangxin, news of our opposition to the court will spread. When the court sends a large army south, we'll be in trouble."

"We must secure a decisive victory, eliminating Lu Xusheng in the dense forests of the southeast. Understood?"

"Understood! Give the command, Family Head Shen. We'll give it our all!"

"Good!"

The ambush troops stationed outside Jiangshan Town remained in position, while other positions adjusted their forces based on their numbers. With time pressing, several family heads chose to personally command at the front.

Ultimately, only the heads of the Wang and Cui families remained with Shen Yi in Yanzhou Prefecture to oversee operations.

The Wang and Cui families had always supported Family Head Shen Yi, making this his most stable alliance.

Three days later, the battle reports arrived.

"Family Head, Lu Xusheng has sent 5,000 soldiers each to attack Quzhou from the north and south."

"No matter, he's paving the way for Mr. Zhou and the advance in the northwest."

"However, he seized several cannons at Zhangjiabao. The firepower is overwhelming, and the young master of the Xiao family dares not venture out of the city."

Shen Yi pondered for a moment and said, "Dispatch 5,000 soldiers and militias from Shouchang to bolster Quzhou Prefecture."

"Good!"

Half a day later, another urgent report arrived.

"Mr. Zhou is leading 10,000 men towards Jiangshan and is about to enter our ambush zone!"

Shen Yi was taken aback, "10,000 men? We agreed on only 3,000!"

In Lu Xusheng's initial plan, he had assigned 3,000 men to Mr. Zhou to scout Jiangshan Town. How did it suddenly increase to 10,000?

The Wang family head beside him speculated, "After all, Lu Xusheng isn't a pushover. He likely knows we've realigned our soldiers and doesn't want to clash head-on. So he dispatched additional troops to Jiangshan, aiming to seize Hulushan and await reinforcements from Guangxin."

Shen Yi nodded, "That makes sense. In that case..." He returned to the terrain map, his gaze falling near Jiangshan.

"Wang family, deploy additional forces from Xianxia Ridge. We must prevent their soldiers from reaching Jiangxi alive."

"Excellent!"

Two more days passed, and all troops had taken their positions. The battle between the two sides was raging.

Shortly after, a battle report was delivered to Shen Yi, who was still enjoying a performance at the opera house. Hearing the news, he gestured for the performers to stop and, rubbing his temples, he asked the steward, "What's going on?"

"Lu Xusheng is too crafty. Realizing our troops are strong, he withdrew after less than an hour of fighting. The western forces fled towards Fenglin!"

"No way!" Shen Yi exclaimed, standing up in anger. "Send all Suian forces to block the western approach to Fengning. We must eliminate him within Fengning's borders."

"Yes, sir!"

Shen Yi strode to the corridor, where a servant, noticing his sweat, quickly handed him a handkerchief. Shen Yi wiped the sweat away and gazed at the lush garden plants, deep in thought.

Just then, a steward came running from the end of the corridor, his face troubled as he bowed before Shen Yi.

"Family Head, a representative from the Liangjiang Governor's Office is here!"

Shen Yi felt a headache brewing. "Who's there?"

"It's Jiang Chengbin's strategist, Jiang Chuhe."

Shen Yi massaged his forehead. It was obvious this was about Lu Xusheng. If they didn't eliminate Lu Xusheng soon, the court's pressure would become unbearable.

"Tell him I'm gravely ill and unable to meet him. Also, offer him three million in taxes and tell him that by early April, the Jiangnan Tax Bureau will make up for the shortfall of the past two months. Make sure he reports this to the court."

The steward felt relieved. "Family Head, you are wise!"

By using taxes to stabilize the Jiangnan Governor's Office and the Jinling authorities, they could proceed without worries.

After sending the man away, Shen Yi turned back to the opera stage, waved the performers away, and returned to his study. He asked his attendant,

"Where is Lu Xusheng himself?"

The attendant was sitting at a desk in front of Shen Yi's study, surrounded by dozens of boxes containing battle reports from various places.

The reports related to Lu Xusheng were in the most prominent box.

He immediately opened the latest report. "Lu Xusheng is still in Longyou City. He has gathered three thousand soldiers and the local people to dig trenches and build fortifications. According to the news from inside, he said he won't run away no matter who else does. He intends to stand firm in Longyou City and see what the powerful local factions can do to him!"

"Bold! He hasn't tarnished his father's reputation," Shen Yi sneered.

"Family Head, intelligence shows that Lu Xusheng truly lives up to his reputation as a war god. He personally led his men and repelled over a dozen of our attacks. Our troops can't even reach the outskirts of Longyou City, let alone the city itself."

Shen Yi took a deep breath, his pale fingers resting on the desk. After a moment of thought, he declared firmly,

"Send the troops from Yanzhou Prefecture to Longyou. I want Lu Xusheng's head!"

The attendant was shocked. "Yanzhou Prefecture still has twelve thousand elite soldiers. If they leave, you'll have no one left by your side. Should we keep some troops stationed in Yanzhou Prefecture?"

Shen Yi kicked the desk in a fit of rage.

"Lu Xusheng has been driven to the border of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, hundreds of miles away. What do I have to fear?"

"Go, leave two thousand men to guard Yanzhou, and send the rest to Longyou. Forget about the others; surround Longyou with this elite force of ten thousand. I only want Lu Xusheng's life!"

"The court sent Lu Xusheng alone, thinking he could shake the entire Jiangnan. Not a chance!"

"As for me, as long as I kill Lu Xusheng, everything will be secure. Do you understand?"

The attendant was terrified by his dark expression and hurriedly said, "Understood! I’ll take care of it right away!"

The ten thousand troops sent out included five thousand from the Yanzhou garrison and five thousand of Shen Yi's private soldiers. Just how elite were these five thousand private soldiers? Their gear was on par with the imperial guards’, each with a fine horse, a crossbow, good bows and arrows, and every five hundred men were equipped with a tiger crouching cannon. With just this 'elite force' in action, Lu Xusheng would surely die.

Shen Yi had initially underestimated what Lu Xusheng was capable of and was also afraid of losing this precious force, so he had been reluctant to deploy them. But now, in a life-or-death situation, he could no longer hold back.

After sending out this cavalry, Shen Yi let out a long breath and fell asleep.

He was sure that within two days, Lu Xusheng’s head would be his.

Shen Yi was a man with refined tastes. Unlike Cheng Mingyu, who aspired to govern the nation, Shen Yi only wanted to be a local tyrant. Over the years, he had ruled like a local king in these mountains, with silver, people, and mines, living more comfortably than the emperor himself.

When he woke up, he started playing the zither. The melodious tune accompanied by graceful dancing added a touch of decadent charm to the luxurious villa.

The beauty swayed like a serpent, shooting him seductive looks.

But Shen Yi didn’t budge. He liked to admire beauties but had no interest in bedding them.

Apart from a few important wives and concubines in his mansion, he was not greedy for beauty. Not just anyone could share his bed.

Compared to beauties, he relished the thrill of playing with people’s emotions more.

He figured Lu Xusheng must be in a panic by now.

Suddenly, the zither’s tempo shifted from slow to rapid, like a storm sweeping in. The beauty's waist twisted faster and faster, and Shen Yi's fingers flew over the strings. But suddenly, a shrill scream from outside pierced the air, startling Shen Yi. The zither string beneath his finger snapped, and blood gushed from his fingertip.

The dancer dropped to her knees, trembling and bowing her head, "Master..."

Shen Yi did not look at her. He cocked his head, faintly hearing the sounds of battle approaching?

How could that be?

Yanzhou was far from the battlefield. Where could the sound of killing be coming from?

At that moment, a few arrows shot through the window and struck the pillars on either side of him.

Shen Yi swayed, realizing something was wrong, and suddenly stood up, pushing the door open.

He saw the front hall door being forced open from the outside, and several of his servants tumbled in.

"Master, master..."

"Lu Xusheng... Lu Xusheng is here!"

Shen Yi's face changed instantly. As he was about to step out, his foot hit the threshold, nearly causing him to fall. He clutched the threshold, staring in shock and anger at the servant.

"Isn't he in Longyou? How did he get to Yanzhou?"

The servant crawled step by step up the stone steps toward him.

"I don't know either, you must run quickly, or it will be too late!"

Shen Yi still refused to believe it. He had planned everything meticulously, deploying all his elite troops. How could Lu Xusheng have broken into Yanzhou?

Lu Xusheng was here, and he had no troops left to defend himself...

A wave of despair surged in his heart!

He stepped outside to see for himself.

Unexpectedly, the servant and two other overseers surrounded him, lifting him and carrying him towards the backyard.

As they reached the forest path in the rear garden, they encountered the family heads of the Wang and Cui families, who were guests. The three exchanged glances, their emotions beyond words.

Without delay, they hurried along the back door of the villa towards the rear mountain.

Just as they ascended the slope through the bamboo forest, a cold voice suddenly emerged from the woods behind them.

"Head of the Shen family, long time no see!"

Hearing this familiar voice, Shen Yi stood frozen.

When was the last time they met? It was at the gate of the government office in Jinling.

Princess Minglan had summoned the local magnates and officials of Jinling to discuss the land measurement.

What had he said to Lu Xusheng at that time?

He had scolded him for not aiming the weapon at his own people.

And now, Lu Xusheng's weapon was aimed at him.

Shen Yi shut his eyes tightly.

He understood.

He understood everything.

From the moment Lu Xusheng removed Zhang Huntian, he had planned for this day.

First, he seized control of the Shen family's tin mines, forcing him out of Hangzhou Prefecture. When he arrived in Yanzhou, Lu Xusheng pretended to flee westward. Seeing him about to flee west, how could the local magnates sit idly by, waiting for Lu Xusheng to gather evidence and report to the court?

Thus, Shen Yi was bound to deploy troops to quell the threat.

How clever Lu Xusheng was, using his spies to reveal his troop movements, making him deploy troops according to Lu Xusheng's plan. He thought Lu Xusheng had fallen into his trap, but in reality, Lu Xusheng was outmaneuvering him, or rather, had calculated everything clearly from the start.

Step by step, he had drawn out all the forces Shen Yi could mobilize, setting the stage for the final move, capturing the kingpin to control the rest.

What is known as a flawless strategy, Shen Yi witnessed it today.

This is not just divine military tactics; it is divine intervention in military strategy.

Luring the tiger out of the mountains, feinting east while attacking west, openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing at Chencang, inviting the enemy into the trap, capturing the kingpin to control the rest—these thirty-six stratagems, Lu Xusheng played them to perfection!

Shen Yi turned around, raised his hands, and calmly addressed the approaching figure,

"General Lu, today I, Shen Yi, concede defeat with full sincerity."